Murphey v. Shiomoto

221 Cal. Rptr. 3d 261, 13 Cal. App. 5th 1052, 2017 WL 3217826, 2017 Cal. App. LEXIS 657
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedJuly 7, 2017
DocketD069557
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 221 Cal. Rptr. 3d 261 (Murphey v. Shiomoto) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Murphey v. Shiomoto, 221 Cal. Rptr. 3d 261, 13 Cal. App. 5th 1052, 2017 WL 3217826, 2017 Cal. App. LEXIS 657 (Cal. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

AARON, J.

*1055I.

INTRODUCTION

In this appeal, we consider whether the trial court erred in granting a petition for writ of administrative mandate ordering the Department of Motor Vehicles (the Department) to rescind an order suspending the driver's license of a person arrested for driving under the influence ( Veh. Code, § 23152, subd. (a) )1 and awarding attorney fees and costs to the person. We reverse the trial court's order granting the writ petition and awarding attorney fees and costs and remand the matter to the trial court with directions to deny the petition in its entirety.

II.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The arrest and driver's license suspension

California Highway Patrol Officer M. Oka2 arrested respondent Matthew D. Murphey for driving under the influence ( § 23152, subd. (a) ). The Department issued an order suspending Murphey's driver's license pursuant to the administrative per se law (§ 13353.2).3 Murphey requested an administrative hearing in order to challenge the suspension. A Department hearing officer held a hearing and issued a written order upholding the suspension. In her order, the hearing officer found that Murphey had driven with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher, as required to sustain the suspension.4

*1056B. Murphey's petition for writ of administrative mandate

Murphey filed a petition for writ of administrative mandate against Jean Shiomoto, in her capacity as Director of the *265Department, requesting that the trial court direct the Department to rescind the orders suspending his license.5 In his petition, Murphey contended that the suspension was invalid because it was not supported by evidence in the administrative record. Specifically, Murphey maintained that the hearing officer erred in relying on Officer Oka's sworn report (DS 367)6 and Officer Oka's unsworn arrest report (collectively "the Reports") because the Reports contained "physical impossibilities," concerning the time that Murphey's blood was drawn for a blood alcohol test and the time that he was booked into jail. Murphey argued that these "impossibilities" rendered the Reports "unreliable and insufficient to sustain the suspension of [his] driver's license." Murphey also claimed that he was entitled to an award of attorney fees and costs due to the Department's "arbitrary and capricious decision."

The Department filed a return to the petition and a brief in opposition. In its opposition, the Department argued that the undisputed evidence that the Department offered at the administrative hearing established each element necessary under the administrative per se law to suspend Murphey's license. The Department also argued that there was no basis for finding that Murphey had not driven with a prohibited blood alcohol level, "[n]otwithstanding the presence of some error about the precise times of the blood draw and jail booking." Finally, the Department maintained that Murphey's request for attorney fees lacked merit. Murphey filed a reply brief.

The trial court held a hearing on the writ petition. After hearing argument from counsel, the court stated that it would grant the petition for writ of mandate and award Murphey attorney fees and costs.

The court subsequently issued a written order granting Murphey's writ petition and awarding him attorney fees and costs. The court's order states in relevant part:

"The court, having considered the papers filed both in support of and in opposition to the Petition, the administrative record lodged with the court, the files and records in this action, as well as the arguments of counsel *1057and having exercised its independent judgment on the evidence, has determined and ruled that the Petition is granted because the administrative findings and decision are not supported by the record in this matter."

C. The appeal

The Department appeals the trial court's order granting Murphey's writ petition and awarding attorney fees and costs.

III.

DISCUSSION

A. The trial court erred in granting Murphey's petition for writ of administrative mandate

The Department claims that the trial court erred in granting Murphey's petition *266for writ of administrative mandate. The Department's primary contention is that the trial court erred in determining that the Reports were inadmissible. The Department further argues that because the Reports were admissible, and because the undisputed evidence established all of the elements necessary to support the suspension of Murphey's driver's license, including that Murphey drove with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher, the trial court erred in granting Murphey's petition directing the Department to rescind the suspension.

1. Governing law

a. Administrative per se proceedings

In Coffey v. Shiomoto (2015) 60 Cal.4th 1198, 1207-1208, 185 Cal.Rptr.3d 538, 345 P.3d 896 ( Coffey ), the Supreme Court reviewed California's administrative per se law (§ 13353.2, et seq.), " 'under which a person arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, and who is determined to have a prohibited amount of alcohol in his or her blood, must have driving privileges suspended prior to an actual conviction for a criminal offense.' " ( Coffey , supra , at p. 1207, 185 Cal.Rptr.3d 538, 345 P.3d 896.) The Coffey court summarized the administrative per se law as follows:

"Pursuant to the administrative per se law, '[a]fter either the arresting officer or the [Department] serves a person with a "notice of an order of suspension or revocation of the person's [driver's license]," the [Department] automatically reviews the merits of the suspension or revocation. [Citation.] The standard of review is preponderance of the evidence [citation], and the department bears the burden of proof [citations].' [Citation.] A driver served with such a suspension notice is entitled to a hearing on *1058request [citation], at which the only issues to be decided ...

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
221 Cal. Rptr. 3d 261, 13 Cal. App. 5th 1052, 2017 WL 3217826, 2017 Cal. App. LEXIS 657, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/murphey-v-shiomoto-calctapp5d-2017.